Support for air conditioner unit



May 3, 1960 E P. CAHN 2,935,366

SUPPORT FOR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT Filed MaI'Ch 27, 1957 23\ -I-B INVENTOR.

ERI C P. CAHN ATTORNEY 2,935,366 SUPPORT FOR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT Eric P. Cahn,rooklyn, NY. Application March 27, 1957, Serial No. 648,874 s claims. (icl. 31zz13) This invention relates to an `improvement in a support or enclosure for a built-in, wall-type air conditioner.

f Heretofore air conditioner units which have been built into the exterior walls of buildings have each been provided with a base pan which is an integral part of the frame ofthe air conditioner-unit. Building walls in which these units are mounted are provided with rectangular openings. each of which has a base plate or platform to nited States Patent 'C receive and support the unit. 'In addition the opening .Y

may be, framed with ametal sleeve in which the unit is enclosed at the top and sides. Thus' the conventional installation of such an air conditioner unit includes one frame for the .building wall opening and an additional frame and basepan for the unit. vSuch prior known base pans have failed to provide for complete drainage of water received from the unit. .Thus the cooling efficiency of the vunit was reduced; Excess water was directed into the room where the unit was located. The walls of the room and buiding were stained and damaged by this water, and the workingV parts of the unit were "rusted and corroded. by the excess Water.

According to the present invention, these diiiiculties are avoided by providing a base pan which may be cast, molded, or otherwise formed of cement, concrete, plastic, metal, or other suitable material. This pan may be preformed for ush mounting and installation in an opening in a building wall. Alternatively it may be formed in situ in the opening of the building wall by known concrete or cement casting methods. The material of which the pan is made must be rugged, corrosion resistant, lire proof, and meet municipal building code standards for exterior building wall structural materials. The base pan according tothe invention extends from the exterior face of the `building wall tothe interior of the building. The pan has a sloping bottom with the front end lowermost. At the front end are a plurality of drain holes. Thus moisture which condenses on the unitand ilows into the pan can drain out of these drain or weep" holes.` The drainage of excess water prevents objectionable corrosionof theunit and staining of building walls. The drain holes may be provided with bronze, brass, copper, or aluminum tubing inserts to protrude from the front ofthe pan. The insertsmay be formed with nozzle ends to disperse water therefrom in a ne spray. Included in the pan are channels, rails, grooves, ridges, or other guide means to facilitate installing an air conditioner unit thereon. A plurality of ledges, pads or other projecting elements may be provided in the pan to support a U-shaped sleeve enclosurefor the air conditioner unit. The pan also has support elements at the front for a louvered plate or panel. The pan may be provided with a well for containing coolant water which is cast on the air conditioner unit by a slinger fan.

During thecourse of construction the pan may be i miice stalled or it may be later added. The air conditioner unit pan. The louvered panel will then serve as the outer cover of the unit. Such a type of installation considerably reduces the cost ofthe air conditioner unit installation, and economizes in labor for installation and maintenance. The invention makes it--possible to reduce the cost of air conditioner installations by employing units which have no exterior inclosure sleeve and base pan, since the features are provided in the support and enclosure with which the present invention is concerned.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a support and enclosure for an air conditioner unit in an exterior building wall installation including a pan adapted to receive and drain excess water from the unit. Y

Itis a further object to provide a base pan for supporting an air conditioner unit, the pan being cast or molded of cement, concrete, or the like.

It is a further object to provide a base pan and U-shaped sleeve for supporting and enclosing an air conditioner unit in an opening in a building Wall.

It is a further object to provide a base pan for an air conditioner unit, the pan being arranged to drain all excess Water collected therein from the unit to increase the B.t.u. caloric cooling eiliciency of the unit.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken togetherwith drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pan embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, from. front to rear of the pan, and showing a portion of the exterior building wall. Y

Fig. 3 is another cross sectional view taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 1, from side to side of the pan, with building wall portions omitted.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of therfront of the pan taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. l, and includingja condensate discharge tube.

Fig. 5 is a view'isimilar to Fig. 4 showing a condensate discharge tube of another form. Fig.,6 is a top plan view of lthe `portion of the pan and discharge tube shown in Fig. 5. Y v

Figs.-v 7 and 8 areperspective views of portions of vguide rails-which may be usedfin the pan.

Fig. 9is av perspective view of a pan and sleeve installed vin a building wall during course of construction thereof. 1

Fig-10 is a perspective view of a reinforcement member which may be installed in the pan of Fig. 9. p Fig. l1 is a sectional view of the pan alone, taken on lines 11-1'1 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of a pan and louvered panel installed in a building wall opening.

Fig. 13 shows a section of a louvered panel.`

The form of pan Zllshown in Figs. 1 to 4 is a shallo-w rectangular member having afront wall 21, a rear Wall 22, sides 23, 24 and a rectangularbottom 2S. yThe pan is formed of cement or concrete or may be plastic cr some composition material. The upper surface of bottom 25 slopes vdownwardly from rear to front as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The top edge of rear Wall 22 should. be above the oor level-F of the room in which the pan term-inates. If desired this rear wall 22 may be concealed -by a facing 27 of plaster, Wood, or otherv suitable material. The pan is installed in an opening 'formed in the building wall 28. This wall is shown made of bricks but it could be solid concrete masonry or any other suitable construction conventional to exterior buildingwalls. The front'wall 21 may be painted to harmonize with the exposed face of the wall v28. VIn the bottom 25 .are two or more grooves 30. These grooves are formed when the pan is initially molded or cast. They may be lined with rail inserts 32 of metal, plastic, etc. These grooves and inserts extend below the upper surface of the bottom 25 to leave thevbottom free of obstructions and to serve as guide means to facilitate installation of a-n air conditioner unit U thereon. The grooved structure securely retains the unit, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. At the sides 23 and 24 on the bottom 25 are blocks or pads 33 which serve to secure and support a metal sleeve or frame for the unit. The pads have coplanar horizontal top surfaces which may be provided with threaded holes 34 `or may have threadedmetal inserts. 2i Vin the interior of the pan Vare disposed lugs or clips 35 in which a front panel may be supported. The lugs are formed as hollow box-like projections on wall 21.

Wall 21 is formed with a plurality of openings 36 at the bottom thereof so that water condensate .may drain out of the pan. The forward and downward slope of bottom 25 insures that all excess water collecting in the pan will drain out of the openings. Short pipes or tubes 37 of non-corrosive material may be inserted in openings 36 so that the draining water does not drop on the outer face of the building wall. The tubes 37 may be formed with attened nozzle ends 38 as best shown in Fig. 5 and to serve as means for dispersing the water in ne sprays.

In Fig. 7 is shown a portion of a grooved rail or channel which may be inserted in a groove 30. This rail has a tapered groove 40 which is wider at the top than the bottom. This groove mayv also have straight sides; or the rail may have over-hanging portions 41 as shown in Fig. 8. In the structure of Fig. 8, the over-hanging wall portions eifectively grip the mounting feet (not shown) of anair conditioner unit to be installed thereon.

A cavity or well 42 may be formed in the bottom 25 of the pan. This well will be located beneath the fan blades B of the air conditioner unit to be installed on the pan. The fan blades serve to direct a spray of coolant water from the wall onto the condenser of the air conditioner unit.

In Figs. 9 to ll is shown a metal pan 20. This pan may be preformed and then installed in wall 28. Pan which is preferably of molded or cast construction may be formed on the building wall during construction thereof. Pan 20 however will be prefabricated and theninstalled in the wall. The pan may be .formed with a flat At the top of wall for installing the unit. The plate may have a rectangular aperture 58 which registers with the top opening in well 43.

The sleeve 45 is generally U-shaped member and may have adjustably positionable side plate 46 disposed on pads or blocks 33 of either pan '20 or pan 20'. Alternatively the side plates 46 may have V-shaped or dovetailed ends 73, 74 which are iitte'd in V-grooves or dovetailed grooves 72, 75 of the top plate 49 and pan 20 as shown in Fig. 12. The side plates 46 as well as pan 20" may be formed of the same mica-asbestos, vermiculite or other refractory material as the top plate 49. v

The outward appearance of the pan whether of the form 20, 20 or 20 will be as shown in Fig. l2 with only the front of wall 21 and tubes 37 exposed. This face of wall 21 may be painted or otherwise finished to harmonize and blend with wall 28. It can be covered with a suitable cover if desired. The front wall 21 is flush Vwith the outer side of wall 28 and the rear wall is tlush with the `inner side of the wall 28, so that the pan is wholly contained in the opening in the wall as clearly shown in Figs. @2 and 12. The pan is secured by mortar which also secures the adjacent bricks in the wall.

The slope of the bottom of the pan insures that no water which condenses on the condenser of the air con- Vditioner unit is discharged into the adjoining room or reant which the fan blades B will direct against the conbottom 25 and include the cavity or well 42 for the v slinger fan blades B. Blocks 33 are provided in the pan to support thesleeve 45. This sleeve includes two vertical plates or partitions 46 having ledges 47 with slots 48. A plate 49 is mounted on partitions 46 and secured `by bolts 50. The slots51 in plate 49 and slots 48 inthe ledges 47 permit a certain amount of lateral adjustability to accommodate the sleeve to various widths of pan 20. The partitions 46 have inturned flanges 52 with apertures for securing the partitions to blocks 33 by means of bolts 53. Clips 35 on front wall 21 are ilexible members which serve to support a louvered panel. Plate 49 has a depending ange 6l which fits over the top of panel 55 as shown in Fig. 13. Screws 76 secure the panel tothe flange. Lcuvers 60 are supported in frame 60 of panel 55. The bottom of the panel rests in clips 35 or 35. If desired the plate 49 may be formed of a refractory material such as mica-asbestos, asbestos, vermiculite which is extended downward at the front of the enclosure to form the closed upper portion 59 of panel as shown in Fig. 12. The framed louvered portion 60 of the panel may be separately formed from the upper portion 59 or it may be integrally formed therewith in the same molding or casting operation.

A rectangular plate 56 may be provided to strengthen the pan and support the air conditioner unit. This plate as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may have ridges or ribs 57 which serve as guide rails and support elements as well as guides denser of the air conditioner unit U. The discharge tubes 37 will insure that excess water cannot collect in the pan while the well '42 has its bottom below thelowest level of the remainder of the pan so that suflicient coolant Vwater can collect in the well. Since' the pan is arranged Vto drain all excess water received from the unit, the B.t.u. caloric rating of cooling and the thermodynamic efficiency of the unit is increased to a remarkable degree.

Sleeve 45 consisting of the plates 46, 49 together with the louvered panel 55 constitute a cover for the air conditioner unit which replaces the usual frame and cover now provided for such units. The plates 46, 49 and panel 55 lcan be cast in one piece as an integral unit or may be made as several members joinedtogether to form a unit.

What is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters `Patent of the United States is:

l. A support for flush mounting of an air conditioner unit in a wall of a building, comprising a rectangular pan having flat upstanding side walls, a front wall, a rear wall and a at, imperforate rectangular bottom integrally joining said side, front and rear Walls for collecting water dripping from said unit, the length of the pan between front and rear walls thereof being substantially equal to the thickness of the building wall so that the pan may be flush mounted at front and rear walls thereof in an open- .ing in the building wall, said bottom havingl an upper surface formed with a downward slope from the rear wall to the front wall, said front wall having a plurality of spaced openings at the lowerrnost end thereof adjacent said bottom and a drain tube disposed in each of the openings and extending outwardly from said front wall for draining and dispersing water collecting in the pan, said bottom being formed with a pair of straight grooves for receiving and retaining said unit therein, said grooves extending parallel to said side walls and extending below the Ilevel of said upper surface so that said bottom is clear of obstructions between said groove, said bottom being formed with a well 'near said front wall for collecting coolant water for said unit. l

2. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim l, wherein each of said tubes is formed with a nozzle at its free end for dispersing Water therefrom in a tine spray.

3v. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim 1, further comprising apertured block members disposed on said bottom at said sides for supporting a frame enclosure for said unit, and clip means carried onl said front wall for removably carrying a louvered front panel for said unit.

4. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim 1, wherein each of said grooves is lined with a channel insert to receive and retain mounting feet of the air conditioner unit.

5. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim l, further comprising a pair of upstanding side plates having lower ends secured to the sides of the pan, and a top plate secured to upper ends of said side plates above said pan.

6. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of laterally disposed side plates, supported on the sides of the pan, a top plate supported on said side plates, and a louvered front plate covering a front opening defined by said side plates, pan, and top plate, said front plate, side plates and top plate being integrally jointed to form a cover for said air con ditioner unit.

7. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim 1 wherein said pan is formed of molded cementitious material.

8. A support for an air conditioner unit according to claim 5, wherein said pan and top plate are formed of cementitious material adapted for permanent bonding by mortar in said building wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,804 Fabri Ian. 26, 1909 1,052,247 Hasenpug et al. Feb. 4, 1913 1,228,523 Best June 5, 1917 1,861,875 Percival June 7, 1932 2,115,720 Holmes May 3, 1938 2,234,771 Moore Mar. 11, 1941 2,269,205 Hubbard Jan. 6, 1942 2,357,362 Smith Sept. 5, 1944 2,362,757' Lang Nov. 14, 1944 2,450,305 Shoemaker Sept. 28, 1948 2,685,779 Carapico Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 749,239 Great Britain May 23, 1956 

